sk.thewastelands-第31部分

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　　Jake　pulled　the　sheet　off　the　clip；　revealing　the　title　page　of　his　stunningly　original　and　richly　symbolic　Final　Essay。　Written　and　circled　there　in　the　red　ink　of　Ms。　Avery's　marking　pen　was　the　notation　A　＋。　Below　this　she　had　written　EXCELLENT　JOB！！！
　　Jake　began　to　laugh。
　　The　whole　day…the　long；　scary；　confusing；　exhilarating；　terrify…ing；　mysterious　day…was　condensed　in　great；　roaring　sobs　of　laughter。　He　slumped　in　his　chair；　head　thrown　hack；　hands　clutching　his　belly；　tears　streaming　down　his　face。　He　laughed　himself　hoarse。　He　would　almost　stop　and　then　some　line　from　Ms。　Avery's　well…meaning　cri…tique　would　catch　his　eye　and　he　would　be　off　to　the　races　again。　He　didn't　see　his　father　e　to　the　door；　look　in　at　him　with　puzzled；　wary　eyes；　and　then　leave　again；　shaking　his　head。
　　At　last　he　did　bee　aware　that　Mrs。　Shaw　was　still　sitting　on　his　bed；　looking　at　him　with　an　expression　of　friendly　detachment　tinctured　with　faint　curiosity。　He　tried　to　speak；　but　the　laughter　pealed　out　again　before　he　could。
　　I　gotta　stop；　he　thought。　I　gotta　stop　or　it's　gonna　kill　me。　I'll　have　a　stroke　or　a　heart　attack；　or　something。
　　Then　he　thought；　7　wonder　what　she　made　of　〃choo…choo；　choo…choo？；〃　and　he　began　to　laugh　wildly　again。
　　At　last　the　spasms　began　to　taper　off　to　giggles。　He　wiped　his　arm　across　his　streaming　eyes　and　said；　〃I'm　sorry；　Mrs。　Shaw…it's　just　that　。　。　。　well　。。。　I　got　an　A…plus　on　my　Final　Essay。　It　was　all　very　。　。　。　very　rich　。　。　。　and　very　sym　。　。　。　sym　。　。　。〃
　　But　he　couldn't　finish。　He　doubled　up　with　laughter　again；　hold…ing　his　throbbing　belly。
　　Mrs。　Shaw　got　up；　smiling。　〃That's　very　nice；　John。　I'm　happy　it's　all　turned　out　so　well；　and　I'm　sure　your　folks　will　be；　too。　I'm　awfully　late…I　think　I'll　ask　the　doorman　to　call　me　a　cab。　Goodnight；　and　sleep　well。〃
　　〃Goodnight；　Mrs。　Shaw；〃　Jake　said；　controlling　himself　with　an　effort。　〃And　thanks。〃
　　As　soon　as　she　was　gone；　he　began　to　laugh　again。
　　
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　　DURING　THE　NEXT　HALF　hour　he　had　separate　visits　from　both　parents。　They　had　indeed　calmed　down；　and　the　A　＋　grade　on　Jake's　Final　Essay　seemed　to　calm　them　further。　Jake　received　them　with　his　French　text　open　on　the　desk　before　him；　but　he　hadn't　really　looked　at　it；　nor　did　he　have　any　intention　of　looking　at　it。　He　was　only　waiting　for　them　to　be　gone　so　he　could　study　the　two　books　he　had　bought　earlier　that　day。　He　had　an　idea　that　the　real　Final　Exams　were　still　waiting　just　over　the　horizon；　and　he　wanted　desperately　to　pass。
　　His　father　poked　his　head　into　Jake's　room　around　quarter　of　ten；　about　twenty　minutes　after　Jake's　mother　had　concluded　her　own　short；　vague　visit。　Elmer　Chambers　was　holding　a　cigarette　in　one　hand　and　a　glass　of　Scotch　in　the　other。　He　seemed　not　only　calmer　but　almost　zonked。　Jake　wondered　briefly　and　indifferently　if　he　had　been　hitting　his　mother's　Valium　supply。
　　〃Are　you　okay；　kid？〃
　　〃Yes。〃　He　was　once　again　the　small；　neat　boy　who　was　always　…pletely　in　control　of　himself。　The　eyes　he　turned　to　his　father　were　not　blazing　but　opaque。
　　〃I　wanted　to　say　I'm　sorry　about　before。〃　His　father　was　not　a　man　who　made　many　apologies；　and　he　did　it　badly。　Jake　found　himself　feeling　a　little　sorry　for　him。
　　〃It's　all　right。〃
　　〃Hard　day；〃　his　father　said。　He　gestured　with　the　empty　glass。　〃Why　don't　we　just　forget　it　happened？〃　He　spoke　as　if　this　great　and　logical　idea　had　just　e　to　him。
　　〃I　already　have。〃
　　〃Good。〃　His　father　sounded　relieved。　〃Time　for　you　to　get　some　sleep；　isn't　it？　You'll　have　some　explaining　to　do　and　some　tests　to　take　tomorrow。〃
　　〃I　guess　so；〃　Jake　said。　〃Is　Mom　okay？〃
　　〃Fine。　Fine。　I'm　going　in　the　study。　Got　a　lot　of　paperwork　tonight。〃
　　〃Dad？〃
　　His　father　looked　back　at　him　warily。
　　〃What's　your　middle　name？〃
　　Something　in　his　father's　face　told　Jake　that　he　had　looked　at　the　Final　Essay　grade　but　hadn't　bothered　to　read　either　the　paper　itself　or　Ms。　Avery's　critique。
　　〃I　don't　have　one；〃　he　said。　〃Just　an　initial；　like　Harry　S　Truman。　Except　mine's　an　R。　What　brought　that　on？〃
　　〃Just　curious；〃　Jake　said。
　　He　managed　to　hold　onto　his　posure　until　his　father　was　gone　。　。　。　but　as　soon　as　the　door　was　closed；　he　ran　to　his　bed　and　stuffed　his　face　into　his　pillow　to　muffle　another　bout　of　wild　laughter。
　　
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　　WHEN　HE　WAS　SURE　he　was　over　the　current　fit　（although　an　occasional　snicker　still　rumbled　up　his　throat　like　an　aftershock）　and　his　father　would　be　safely　locked　away　in　his　study　with　his　cigarettes；　his　Scotch；　his　papers；　and　his　little　bottle　of　white　powder；　Jake　went　back　to　his　desk；　turned　on　the　study　lamp；　and　opened　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo。　He　glanced　briefly　at　the　copyright　page　and　saw　it　had　originally　been　published　in　1942；　his　copy　was　from　the　fourth　printing。　He　looked　at　the　back；　but　there　was　no　information　at　all　about　Beryl　Evans；　the　book's　author。
　　Jake　turned　back　to　the　beginning；　looked　at　the　picture　of　a　grin…ning；　blonde…haired　man　sitting　in　the　cab　of　a　steam　lootive；　consid…ered　the　proud　grin　on　the　man's　face；　and　then　began　to　read。
　　Bob　Brooks　was　an　engineer　for　the　Mid…World　Railway　pany；　on　the　St。　Louis　to　Topeka　run。　Engineer　Bob　was　the　best　trainman　The　Mid…World　Railway　pany　ever　had；　and　Charlie　was　the　best　train！
　　Charlie　was　a　402　Big　Boy　Steam　Lootive；　and　Engineer　Bob　was　the　only　man　who　had　ever　been　allowed　to　sit　in　his　peak…seat　and　pull　the　whistle。　Everyone　knew　the　WHOOO…OOOO　of　Charlie's　whistle；　and　whenever　they　heard　it　echoing　across　the　flat　Kan…sas　countryside；　they　said；　〃There　goes　Charlie　and　Engi…neer　Bob；　the　fastest　team　between　St。　Louis　and　Topeka！〃
　　Boys　and　girls　ran　into　their　yards　to　watch　Charlie　and　Engineer　Bob　go　by。　Engineer　Bob　would　smile　and　wave。　The　children　would　smile　and　wave　back。
　　Engineer　Bob　had　a　special　secret。　He　was　the　only　one　who　knew。　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo　was　really；　really　alive。　One　day　while　they　were　making　the　run　between　Topeka　and　St。　Louis；　Engineer　Bob　heard　singing；　very　soft　and　low。
　　〃Who　is　in　the　cab　with　me？〃　Engineer　Bob　said　sternly。
　　〃You　need　to　see　a　shrink；　Engineer　Bob；〃　Jake　murmured；　and　turned　the　page。　Here　was　a　picture　of　Bob　bending　over　to　look　beneath；　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo's　automatic　firebox。　Jake　wondered　who　was　driv…ing　the　train　and　watching　out　for　cows　（not　to　mention　boys　and　girls）　on　the　tracks　while　Bob　was　checking　for　stowaways；　and　guessed　that　Beryl　Evans　hadn't　known　a　lot　about　trains。
　　〃Don't　worry；〃　said　a　small；　gruff　voice。　〃It　is　only　I。〃
　　〃Who's　I？〃　Engineer　Bob　asked。　He　spoke　in　his　big…gest；　sternest　voice；　because　he　still　thought　someone　was　playing　a　joke　on　him。
　　〃Charlie；〃　said　the　small；　gruff　voice。
　　〃Hardy　har…har！〃　said　Engineer　Bob。　〃Trains　can't　talk！　I　may　not　know　much；　but　I　know　that！　If　you're　Charlie；　I　suppose　you　can　blow　your　own　whistle！〃
　　〃Of　course；〃　said　the　small；　gruff　voice；　and　just　then　the　whistle　made　its　big　noise；　rolling　out　across　the　Mis…souri　plains：　WHOOO…OOOO！
　　〃Goodness！〃　said　Engineer　Bob。　〃It　really　is　you！〃
　　〃I　told　you；〃　said　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo。
　　〃How　e　I　never　knew　you　were　alive　before？〃　asked　Engineer　Bob。　〃Why　didn't　you　ever　talk　to　me　before？〃
　　Then　Charlie　sang　this　song　to　Engineer　Bob　in　his　small；　gruff　voice。
　　Don't　ask　me　silly　questions；
　　I　won't　play　silly　games。
　　I'm　just　a　simple　choo…choo　train
　　And　I'll　always　be　the　same。
　　I　only　want　to　race　along
　　Beneath　the　bright　blue　sky；
　　And　be　a　happy　choo…choo　train
　　Until　the　day　I　die。
　　〃Will　you　talk　to　me　some　more　when　we're　making　our　run？〃　asked　Engineer　Bob。　〃I'd　like　that。〃
　　〃I　would；　too；〃　said　Charlie。　〃I　love　you；　Engineer　Bob。〃
　　〃I　love　you　too；　Charlie；〃　said　Engineer　Bob；　and　then　he　blew　the　whistle　himself；　just　to　show　how　happy　he　was。
　　WHOOO…OOO！　It　was　the　biggest　and　best　Charlie　had　ever　whistled；　and　everyone　who　heard　it　came　out　to　see。
　　The　picture　which　illustrated　this　last　was　similar　to　the　one　on　the　cover　of　the　book。　In　the　previous　pictures　（they　were　rough　drawings　which　reminded　Jake　of　the　pictures　in　his　favorite　kindergarten　book；　Mike　Mulligan　and　His　Steam　Shovel）；　the　lootive　had　been　just　a　lootive…cheery；　undoubtedly　interesting　to　the　'40s…era　boys　who　had　been　this　book's　intended　audience；　but　still　only　a　piece　of　machin…ery。　In　this　picture；　however；　it　had　clearly　human　features；　and　this　gave　Jake　a　deep　chill　despite　Charlie's　smile　and　the　rather　heavy…handed　cuteness　of　the　story。
　　He　didn't　trust　that　smile。
　　He　turned　to　his　Final　Essay　and　scanned　down　the　lines。　I'm　pretty　sure　Blame　is　dangerous；　he　read；　and　that　is　the　truth。
　　He　closed　the　folder；　tapped　his　fingers　on　it　thoughtfully　for　a　few　moments；　then　returned　to　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo。
　　Engineer　Bob　and　Charlie　spent　many　happy　days　together　and　talked　of　many　things。　Engineer　Bob　lived　alone；　and　Charlie　was　the　first　real　friend　he'd　had　since　his　wife　died；　long　ago；　in　New　York。
　　Then　one　day；　when　Charlie　and　Engineer　Bob　returned　to　the　roundhouse　in　St。　Louis；　they　found　a　new　diesel　lootive　in　Charlie's　berth。　And　what　a　diesel　lootive　it　was！　5；000　horsepower！　Stainless　steel　cou…plers！　Traction　motors　from　the　Utica　Engine　Works　in　Utica；　New　York！　And　sitting　on　top；　behind　the　genera…tor；　were　three　bright　yellow　radiator　cooling　fans。
　　〃What　is　this？〃　Engineer　Bob　asked　in　a　worried　voice；　but　Charlie　only　sang　his　song　in　his　smallest；　gruffest　voice：
　　
　　Don't　ask　me　silly　questions；
　　I　won't　play　silly　games。
　　I'm　just　a　simple　choo…choo　train
　　And　I'll　always　be　the　same。
　　
　　I　only　want　to　race　along
　　Beneath　the　bright　blue　sky；
　　And　be　a　happy　choo…choo　train
　　Until　the　day　I　die。
　　
　　Mr。　Briggs；　the　Roundhouse　Manager；　came　over。
　　〃That　is　a　beautiful　diesel　lootive；〃　said　Engineer　Bob；　〃but　you　will　have　to　move　it　out　of　Charlie's　berth；　Mr。　Briggs。　Charlie　needs　a　lube　job　this　very　afternoon。〃
　　〃Charlie　won't　be　needing　any　more　lube　jobs；　Engi…neer　Bob；〃　said　Mr。　Briggs　sadly。　〃This　is　his　replace…ment…a　brand…new　Burling